Bottle closure



June 22, 1943. LEATHERMAN 2,322,527

BOTTLE CLQSURE Filed May 11, 1940 INVENTOR JERRY .LEA HERMAN ATTORN EYSPatented June 22, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,322,527 BOTTLECLOSURE Jerry M. Leatherman, Akron, Ohio Application May 11, 1940,Serial No. 334,588

4 Claims. (01.21543) This invention relates to bottle closures, and moreespecially it relates to bottle closures formed with a delivery orificeand pouring spout, and including a cover or lid for said deliveryorifice.

The closure is especially adapted for use upon milk bottles, where isreplaces the paper cap with which milk bottles usually are provided. Theprovision of a pouring spout prevents the milk from trickling down theside of the bottle, and the provision of a lid assures that the contentsof the bottle will not be contaminated by dirt or insects that otherwisemight enter the bottle.

The chief objects of the invention are to provide a bottle closure ofthe character mentioned whereof the cover or lid will remain open in allpositions of the bottle during use, yet which readily. may be retainedin closed position; to provide simplicity of construction; to provide aclosure that readily may be cleaned; to provide a delivery orifice ofsuch size and shape as to admit air to the bottle during pouringadequate to replace the liquid as the latter is being poured; toprovide, for facile attachment of the closure to a bottle; and toembodya closure of the character mentioned in a one-piece structure.Other objects will be manifest as the description proceeds.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Figure -l is a side elevationof the improved closure, and a bottle towhich it is operatively applied, the latter being shown in section andthe cover or lidof the closure being in open position;

Figure 2 is a diametric section through the closure and bottle on whichit is mounted, the latter being in tilted, pouring position;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the closure with the lid in closed position;

Figure 4 is a section of the lid on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Figure 5 is a transverse section of the closure on the line 5-5 ofFigure 3; and

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, particularly Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, thenumeral I0 designates the upper portion of a conventional milk bottlehaving a mouth rim or bead II provided with a shoulder or seat I2 forthe usual paper or cardboard cap (not shown) said seat I2 beingencompassed by the usual upstanding peripheral wall I3 that is slightlysmaller at its top than at its juncture with the said seat, so as betterto retain a cap mounted on the latter. The present invention consists ofa closure designed to be substituted for the usual paper bottle cap,when the bottle is in domestic use.

Said closure consists of a one-piece structure of resilient and flexiblerubber composition, and comprises a circular base portion I5, theperipheral face I6 of which is of somewhat less height than the Wall I3of the bottle, said peripheral face tapering slightly toward the bottomface of the closure. The diameter of the peripheral face is such that ithas a force fit into the bottle opening where it rests upon the seat I2,its perimeter I6 being slightly deformed by the slightly overhangingwall I3 of the bottle, the arrangement being such that the closure isfirmly retained in place on the bottle during use, but readily may beremoved therefrom when desired.

The closure body I5 is formed with an opening I8 therein that iscentrally disposed and is of substantially greater length than width,one end of said opening being arcuate. Surrounding said opening I8 is anupwardly extending wall I9 that constitutes a pouring spout, said wallbeing perpendicular to the plane of the base I5at the sides of theopening, as shown in Fig. 5, and being obliquely disposed at the arcuateend of the opening so that. its upper extremity or lip. projects beyondand overhangs the peripheral face I6 of the closure, as is shown inFigs. 1, 2 and 6. Rearwardly of the said overhanging lip, the uppermargin of the wall I9 slopes slightly downwardly, and at the oppositeextremity of the opening I8 the said wall curves sharply downwardlytoits juncture with the body IS. The upper end or free margin of thespout defines a dispensing aperture for the contents of a bottle.

At the rear of the spout I9, that is, the end thereof remote from theoverhanging lip, the wall of the spout at the top thereof is integrallyformed with a cover or lid that is designated as a whole by the numeral2I, the wall and lid being connected by a relatively thin web ofmaterial 22 that constitutes a hinge for said lid. The marginal contourof said lid is substantially the same as the shape of the spout I9 sothat in the closed position of the lid it will overlie the latter withits margin flush with the sides thereof. The free end of the lid,however, is formed with a tab 23 that will project beyond the pouringspout and constitute a finger grip for lifting the lid from closed toopen position. One face of the lid 2| is formed centrally with a boss 24of the same general shape as the dispensing aperture in the spout I9,said boss being designed to enter or telescope with said opening in theclosed position of the lid. The opposite lateral marginal faces of theboss 24 are slightly sloped or undercut, and the greatest width of theboss is slightly greater than the width of the spout.

Thus the closing of the lid 21 upon the spout requires that the boss 24be forced into the dispensing aperture of the spout, with the resultthat there is a slight deformation of the lateral margins of the boss,or confronting surfaces of the spout, or both, as is clearly shown inFig. 5. The arrangement is such as to effect a mechanical interlock ofthe boss and spout that functions firmly to retain the lid in closedposition, when desired, without other latching means. The end face ofthe boss 24 adjacent the hinge 22 is more deeply undercut than thelateral faces of the boss, and the opposite end face of the boss isbeveled, both of said end faces being adapted to make face to facecontact with complementally sloped surfaces of the dispensing aperture,as shown in Fig. 6.

As previously stated, the improved closure is a one-piece structure ofresilient rubber composition. It is vulcanized in a mold in the usualmanner, which mold. gives it thenormal shape shown in Fig. 1. Thus itwill be apparent that in the closed position of the lid the hingeportion 22 is placed under stress. Once the lid is, opened, theresistance tostress of the hinge 22 will prevent the lid from closing,notwithstanding tilting of the bottle when the content of the latterisbeingpoured therefrom. Furthermore, even though through long use thehinge weakens to such an extent as no longer to be able to hold the lidin open position, said lid still will not close when the bottle istilted since the boss 24 is too, wide toenter the dispensing aperture ofthe spout without being forced therein, and the lid will be held open byreason of the rear corners of the boss bearing against the margin of thespout [9 as shown in Fig. 2.

. Because of the elongated shape of the opening I8 of the closure, anadequately large stream of liquid may be poured therethrough withoututilizing the entire capacity of the same, thereby leaving ample spacein the opening .for air to enter thebottle to replace the liquid removedtherefrom, without interfering with the-free flow of the liquid. Thisfeature of'the invention will be apparent by reference to Fig. 2.

The closure,may be-made of white rubber, or it'm'ay be be made in pastelshades if desired. The closure is of simple construction, and is readilywashed. to maintain its sanitary condition.

Being made of rubber, it will not absorb moisture or odors. The closureis easily attached to and detached from a bottle, and achieves the otheradvantages set out in the foregoing statement of objects.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention, or the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bottle closure of the character described comprising a bodystructure of deformable material having an opening formed therein andhaving an upwardly extending unconfined wall surrounding said openingand constituting a spout, the free marginal portion of the latterdefining a dispensing aperture, a lid for covering the dispensingaperture in said spout, hinge means connecting the lid locally to themargin of the spout and normally urging the lid to open position, and aboss on one face of said lid, said boss being receivable in thedispensing aperture of the spout and being of such size and shape withrelation to the spout as to have a force fit in the latter sole-, ly attwo opposite local regions thereof.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein the body structure, lid,and hinge is a one-piece structure of resilient rubber composition.

3. A bottle closure of the character described consisting of a one-piecestructure of resilient composition comprising a body structure having anopening formed therein and having an upwardly extending unconfined wallsurrounding said opening and constituting a spout, the free marginalportion of the latter defining a dispensing aperture that is elongatedso as to .have greater length than width, a lid for covering thedispensing aperture in said spout, a'hinge con-.

necting one end of said lid to the spout at one end. of the dispensingaperture thereimsaid hinge normal-1y, urging the lid to open position,and a boss on one face of said lid receivable in the dispensing aperturein the free end of the spout, the

width of the boss between the lateral marginal faces thereof beinggreater than the width of the dispensing aperture in the spout so thatthe lid is retained in closed position by local interengagement of bossand spout.

4. A combination as definedin claim 3 in which the lateral marginalfaces of the boss are undercut whereby a mechanical interlock of thebossand spout is effected'when the lid is closed.

JERRY M. LEATHERMAN.

